Ella and Charlotte, known as Two Kiwi Birds, are traveling the world in a 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser Troop Carrier. They found their “Blue” in New Zealand with just 69,000 kilometers on the odometer, spent eight months converting it into a travel vehicle, and hit the road.
Today, mountains, climbing rocks, wild campsites, Greek beaches, and occasionally a rather lopsided night in the Scottish mud are all part of their everyday life. On the side, both are studying online, Charlotte works remotely—and together they’re proving quite convincingly that you don’t have to wait for the perfect moment.
In OLLI Stories, we talk to people who live their lives differently—mindfully, courageously, and in their own unique way. No clichés. No glossy facades. Just honest answers to the questions you only ask yourself once the campfire is burning and the small talk is over. Stories that show: There’s another way.
"Girls can do anything."
Ella and Charlotte had long been thinking about not just settling into a normal routine after college. While in college, the two of them talked time and again about doing something radical and challenging after graduation. They’d been saving up even while they were still in school. But an idea isn’t a trip yet. Then they bought Blue.
We spoke with Ella and Charlotte about what it’s like for two young women to travel the world in an old Toyota, why less planning is sometimes the better plan—and why fear would make a pretty lousy travel guide.
Who are the people behind Two Kiwi Birds?
We’re Ella and Charlotte from New Zealand—best friends, adventure lovers, and by now pretty used to living together in just a few square meters. We love rock climbing, mountaineering, good food, and pretty much anything that takes place outdoors. On the road, we travel in our Toyota Land Cruiser Troop Carrier “Blue,” work and study online, and try to spend as much time as possible off the beaten path.
Originally, we planned to drive all the way to Mongolia. At some point, though, we realized that we’d rather climb mountains and stay in one place longer than spend hours in the car every day. So we changed our plans. Mongolia isn’t going anywhere.
Can you still remember the moment when you knew, “We’re going to do this now”?
We’d actually always known that we wanted to move away after college and do something a little radical and challenging. We talked about it constantly while we were in college and saved up at the same time. But it didn’t really feel real until we bought Blue and the interior and exterior renovations slowly started to take shape. There was this moment: “Wow. Okay… this is really happening now.”
What phrase or thought has changed your lives?
“Girls can do anything.” A simple phrase, but we’ve always believed in it. It also shapes the way we approach adventures. When we want to do something, we figure out how to make it happen.
How did your families and friends react?
Our families were, of course, a little worried, which we can understand. Overall, though, they’ve been incredibly supportive. There were definitely a few “Are you really sure about this?” moments. Still, they’ve always stood behind us and encouraged us.
Which one of you actually had to convince whom?
No one had to convince anyone. We both love adventure and could hardly wait to finally get going. Ella is more the “Come on, let’s just do it and figure it out as we go” type. Charlotte is more like, “Wait a minute. Maybe we should at least have something resembling a plan.” Actually, it’s a pretty good combination.
What was the hardest part about actually setting off?
Setting off was scary in itself. It was our first truly big trip that took us so far from home. And New Zealand isn’t exactly around the corner. You can’t just fly home for the weekend. We knew we wouldn’t see our families and friends for a very long time. When we actually turned the key, it all suddenly became real. It was a strange mix of anticipation, nervousness, and sadness.
But we knew: We’re ready.
"When we want to do something, we figure out how to make it happen."
What kind of vehicle do you use—and why that one in particular?
A 2003 Toyota Land Cruiser Troop Carrier. We found “Blue” used in New Zealand—with just 69,000 kilometers on the odometer. The original owner had bought it because he wanted to travel through Africa with his wife. But that never happened. He didn’t convert the car, the trip never happened—and the Land Cruiser sat practically untouched in his garage for more than ten years. When we saw the ad, we immediately thought: This is perfect.
The conversion took about eight months. We did some of the work ourselves, while other tasks were outsourced. The decision to go with a Toyota was a very deliberate one. These vehicles’ reputation for reliability is hard to beat.
We also specifically wanted the older model with the 4.2-liter diesel engine, not the V8. Our reasoning was simple: The simpler the technology, the greater the chance of finding someone on the road who can repair it—and the easier it should be to find replacement parts.
What probably would never have happened without Blue?
Almost everything. We often talk about how lucky we are to be able to spend so much time outdoors and truly live in nature. Blue gives us the freedom to wake up somewhere completely remote, spend the whole day out and about, and in the evening, turn a beautiful spot into our home for the night.
We both strongly believe in the benefits of spending a lot of time outdoors and in nature. Without Blue, our travel experiences would be completely different.
How do people react to your car?
Most people are surprised to suddenly see a vehicle from New Zealand somewhere in the world. Then the questions start: How did you get the car here? Where did you start? Where are you headed? And when people realize there are two young blonde women behind the wheel, it usually gets even more interesting. Blue is a pretty good conversation starter. We’ve met an incredible number of people because of it.
What do you love about Blue—and what drives you crazy?
We love the stripes. They give it that cool vintage look. But our favorite detail is probably the pop-up roof. When you’re living in a car full-time, it suddenly feels like pure luxury to actually be able to stand up or sit comfortably inside. By the time we were in Scotland during the winter, we were pretty grateful for that.
Not so great: Blue is pretty top-heavy. When a 4x4 trail slopes to one side, we get pretty nervous. Our biggest fear is tipping him over. There were definitely situations where we were both sitting in the car thinking, “Okay… just how much more can this thing actually tilt?” And moments when one of us jumped out and, as a last-ditch measure, hung onto a corner of the bull bar.
Would you choose this exact vehicle again today?
Absolutely. Blue has never let us down so far. It’s a perfect fit for the way we travel. We can venture off the beaten path, carry everything we need, and by now it’s become our little home on wheels. We could hardly imagine this trip in any other vehicle.
Although: An electric car might not have been such a bad idea when it comes to diesel costs...
"We don't want fear to keep us from experiencing the world."
What's a typical day like when you're on the road?
We usually get up pretty early—around six—have a couple of coffees, and go for a run first thing. Depending on where we are, we spend the day hiking, climbing, or at the beach. These days, especially during the European summer, it’s definitely the latter more often. We try to find a place to sleep by 6 p.m. at the latest so we still have some time left to enjoy the evening.
We camp in the wild 99 percent of the time. Finding a suitable spot—and, above all, one that’s reasonably flat—can therefore sometimes be quite a challenge. We almost always cook for ourselves. We’re both real foodies—so dinner is usually one of the highlights of the day.
Where did you end up staying much longer than originally planned?
Actually, our destination was Mongolia. Along the way, however, we developed a bit of an addiction to mountain climbing. At the same time, we realized that we much prefer traveling slowly to spending hours in the car every day. At some point, we decided to scale back our grand final destination. We wanted to experience the journey itself, rather than constantly rushing toward the next destination.
Next year, we want to pick up where we left off. Hopefully, we’ll have more time then—and maybe we’ll actually make it all the way to Mongolia.
Tell us about a night you’ll never forget.
Near Ullapool in Scotland, we completely got Blue stuck in the mud while off-roading. It was slowly getting dark, and it was obvious that we wouldn’t be able to free ourselves on our own. So there was only one option left: to sleep right where we were stuck. Blue was at an incredibly awkward angle, but somehow we managed to spend the night in it. The next morning, a tow truck came and pulled us out. Not exactly the most comfortable night of our lives. But today, it’s a pretty good story.
When did you think, “What the heck are we even doing here?”
When we decided to camp for three nights right in the middle of London. We were parked in Clapham and Tooting in front of friends’ houses. We wanted to visit them, and urban camping seemed like the cheapest way to stay the night. When we cooked our dinner on the street and set up camp, we got some pretty puzzled looks. That’s when we looked at each other and thought, “What the heck are we doing here?” We got away with it.
And when did you think the exact opposite: “That’s exactly why we’re doing this”?
When we’d left Central Europe behind and were driving further east. Central Europe is beautiful, but wild camping isn’t exactly easy in some regions—and diesel wasn’t exactly cheap either. Then we arrived in Greece. We were able to drive Blue right up to incredible beaches and had some of those spots almost entirely to ourselves. Later, we even took Blue on ferries to various Greek islands.
When you open the door in the morning and practically your own beach lies right in front of you, you look around and know: This is exactly why we do this.
"Some of the best experiences happen exactly when you have no idea what's coming next."
What story do you think hardly anyone at home would believe?
Probably that we lived in a car right in the middle of London. Or that we took Blue with us to some of the Greek party islands. We’d park our Land Cruiser between beach clubs, go out partying at night, and then come back to sleep in our truck. That always gets a laugh and comments like, “You guys are crazy.”
What incident do you find funny looking back on now?
Our first attempts at off-roading. There were times when we were convinced we were completely stuck—until we realized we’d simply forgotten to lock the limited-slip differentials. It was a bit embarrassing back then. Today, it’s pretty funny.
What was the most expensive lesson of your trip—not just financially?
Never plan too far ahead. Somehow, it always seems like something breaks or the entire plan changes right when you’ve booked something well in advance and already paid for it. That’s happened to us a few times now. So today we try to stay as flexible as possible and see what happens.
What would you do completely differently today?
Maybe we’d buy the electric version after all. Our diesel budget would appreciate it. But seriously: We wouldn’t actually change much. Many of our mistakes and mishaps are now our best stories. Figuring things out as we go has simply become part of the adventure for us.
"We'd rather try something out, make a few mistakes, and end up with great stories to tell."
Were there people along the way who helped you, even though they had absolutely no reason to?
All the time. Maybe we’re just lucky. Or maybe we’re pretty good at looking like two helpless women. As we’re writing these answers, we’ve just arrived from a small repair shop on the Turkish Black Sea coast. We wanted to get an oil change and oil filter replaced at Blue. The men there couldn’t have been any more welcoming. They kept offering us food and drinks, charged way too little for their work, and in the end even gave us some extra camping gas to take with us. We were just two strangers who drove into their workshop unannounced. And yet they treated us that way. It’s exactly these kinds of experiences that stick with us. They remind us time and again just how many incredibly good people there are out there.
Was there an encounter that changed your view of the world?
Not just one big encounter. It’s more the sum of them all. Time and again, complete strangers have helped us without expecting anything in return. When you’re traveling through unfamiliar countries, that can sometimes feel scary at first. But along the way, we were constantly reminded that the vast majority of people are good—and want to help.
How do you pay for this lifestyle?
We both saved pretty consistently in New Zealand before we left. That gave us a solid foundation for the trip. Charlotte also works part-time remotely, and we’re both studying full-time online while traveling. We’re obviously the kind of people who like to stay busy and need the feeling of working toward something.
In the long run, we’d also like to earn money through our social media channel and use that to help finance this lifestyle. That’s definitely one of our goals.
What’s a real luxury on the road, even though it doesn’t cost anything?
Connectivity. Before we left, we’d thought about installing Starlink in Blue. In the end, it wasn’t really necessary. With 5G, we can connect in a surprising number of places. Being able to work and study from fairly remote locations feels like a huge luxury to us. Without this infrastructure, our lifestyle would hardly be possible.
And: Spotify audiobooks. Downloading a good audiobook and listening to it together on a long day of driving—it’s become one of our favorite little moments of luxury.
What’s the best part about traveling together?
We’re actually always laughing about something or already planning the next ridiculous video. Of course, it helps that we share so many interests: climbing, good food, being outdoors, and seeking out the next adventure. When your best friend is along for the ride, even the most ordinary days are fun.
And what’s really a pain sometimes?
A hangover when you live in a truck. And doing laundry. There’s really nothing glamorous about either of those things when your entire home is just a few square meters.
What do you argue about?
Who does the dishes. No matter how often we wash them, somehow the next load is already waiting.
Would the trip be different if you were traveling alone?
Completely. We think it would be incredibly lonely at times. Especially since we like to leave the tourist spots behind and head off to places off the beaten path. That’s exactly what makes traveling exciting for us, but it can also be pretty isolating. Having your best friend by your side is a huge blessing. Whether everything’s going wrong or you’re sitting somewhere thinking, “How incredibly lucky are we, really?”—when someone shares that moment with you, it makes it better. Shared memories are simply more precious.
“Start small. Do something that scares you a little. Get out there. And see where it takes you.”
What’s one question you’re really sick of hearing?
“Isn’t it dangerous for two women to travel around like that?” We understand why people ask. But yes—we hear that question quite often.
What do many people believe about your life, even though it’s not true?
That it must be incredibly dangerous for two women to travel the world alone. Of course, there are risks. Just like anywhere else. And we’re not naive. But if you take reasonable precautions, trust your gut, and make smart decisions about where to go and where to stay, there’s a lot you can do to stay safe while traveling. We don’t want fear to stop us from experiencing the world. “We don’t want fear to stop us from experiencing the world.”
What does social media romanticize about travel?
The idea that you wake up every morning in an incredible place and immediately set off on your next adventure. Sometimes you just need a day off. Or a day with a hangover, when you sit in your camping chair and do absolutely nothing. We don’t feel great every single day when we’re on the road. We have bad days and days when we feel like crap—just like everyone else.
And living in a truck can be exhausting. When you’re sick or completely worn out and don’t have a real bed, a bathroom, or much privacy, it’s pretty lousy.
Social media shows the epic hikes, the beautiful campsites, and the sunsets. In between, there are plenty of pretty unglamorous days.
What has traveling taught you that no school in the world could ever teach?
Just how much a little bit of kindness can make a difference. So many complete strangers have helped us, welcomed us, or simply tried to make our day a little better—even though they had absolutely nothing to gain from it. Through these experiences, we’ve come to understand how much even a tiny gesture can mean to another person. That’s what we want to take with us. No matter where we go next.
What was your opinion before the trip, and would you say the opposite today?
That you have to have everything planned out before you set off. We used to think a solid plan was the sensible way to travel. Today we know that some of the best experiences happen exactly when you have no idea what’s coming next. The freedom to change direction on a whim, stay somewhere longer, or throw the entire plan out the window has become one of our favorite things about traveling.
What advice would you give yourselves before setting off?
Everything takes much longer than you think. So slow down, leave room for things that will go wrong, and don’t try to pack too much into too little time.
When do you think, “Damn, we’re so lucky”?
Actually, all the time. And most of the time, it doesn’t take anything spectacular. Maybe we’re just sitting outside at Blue after a long day, eating our dinner, looking around, and realizing: This is our home for today.
There have been so many moments when we’ve looked at each other and asked, “How can this really be our life?”
Waking up in a new place, spending our days outdoors doing the things we love, and being able to share it all with my best friend—we definitely don’t take any of that for granted.
What does “One Life. Live It.” mean to you?
It means not waiting for the “perfect” moment to do the things you really want to do. There will always be reasons not to go. Money. Work. Nerves. What other people think. But you really do only have this one life.
We’d rather try something out, make a few mistakes along the way, and end up with great stories to tell than look back someday and wish we’d been a little braver.
If someone reads your story and finds the courage to set out on their own because of it—what would you like to say to that person?
Be brave and get out there. And don’t believe everything you read online. Before we set off, we realized that many articles and stories naturally focus on the worst-case scenarios. That can make the world seem much scarier than it actually is. Of course, you should do your research, take precautions, and use common sense. But don’t let fear make all your decisions.
Our journey has shown us time and again that most people are truly kind, friendly, and helpful. And an adventure doesn’t have to look like ours. You don’t have to ship an SUV halfway around the world. You don’t have to quit everything.
Start small. Do something that scares you just a little. Get out there. And see where it takes you.
For us, one of the most important lessons was to say “yes” more often, worry less about whether everything is figured out yet—and just give things a try.
“Girls can do anything” has always been our motto.
If our journey inspires even one other person to believe in themselves and embark on the adventure they’ve been dreaming of for a long time—especially another young woman—that would be pretty amazing.
Follow Charlotte and Ella on:
- Instagram: @twokiwibirds
